The National tribune., 1887-01-20

he might easily, with the force in hand, have
completed the destruction of our train in half
the time it remained in his possession. with
a small portion of his force he could have kept
us at bay, while with the remainder he could
have run the wagons Of the train together and
blown them from the face of the earth. But,
happily for us, the golden moments were al
lowed TO slip by in useless racket, and up to
this time no great harm had been done to the
train.
We had not been idle spectators of the scene.
Active skirmishing was in progress all around
us and every man was eager for a closer Crap
pie with the enemy. We had not long to wait,
for soon the bugle sounded the charge. Tight
ening up our little squadron. and every man
with his saber or revolver grasped firmly in his
hand, We followed the tall, straight form OF Col.
Murray into the thickest of the melee.
"0urs not to make reply,
Ours not To reason why,
Ours hut to do and die.
Into the valley of death
Rode the four " hundred"
For some time hand to hand conflict ensued,
but keeping ourselves together as well as pos
sble, and the enemy between our force and
their battery on the hill above, we soon sue
ceedcd in rolling up their disorganized num-
bers into huddled mass of flying horsemen.
Quite number were killed, and many were
dismounted and taken prisoners and held by
the train guard until the end of the fight.
/ should here mention that this infantry
train guard was of much help to US IN
GETTING THE REBELS STARTED.
After recovering from their first fright, many
Of them being recapiured by our charge, they
stood 10 arms manfully and fought like true
soldiers. The enemy falling back in rear of
their battery, began reforming for the purpose
of making another attack, aud right here we
got into the hottest place Of the day. AssoOn rs
the front of their battery was cleared of
their own hOrsemen they opened on US with
caseshot and shell in a manner too lively for
endurance.
By this time our line was getting badly
tangled and broken Some of the boys had
almost reached the rebel battery. One of our
company. named Mclaughlin. insisted on the
capture of the rebel battery by himself. lie
rode up within a few yards of the guns, drew
his saber, aud flourishing il around his head
turned in his saddle and. looking back where he
| supposed the regiment was following, yelled
out at the top Of his voice:
Boys charge, and let's take these DANCED
little pop guns out of the way"
But the boys were not there, or only few Of
them, and il would have been a foolhardy
thing TO remain in such position, SO We stood
not upon the order OF Our going but went at once
Fast time was made back to the pike and the
train. How Mac" ever got out Of the peril
Gus position he was in was miracle, but hi
did, and without a scratch.
Back at the train we reformed our line, and
while awaiting new developments the rebe
battery on the hill above poured the hot sho
into US feariuly, but, fortunately, most of theil
charges went over us and did but little mis-
chief A good many Of the boys lost theil
horses and were footing il back in donble-quicl
/ time.
Around the train we rallied and awaited tn,
second onset Of the enemy, which we could
| plainly see they were preparing to deliver W
more system, and with better judgment than a
first. Col Wharton had been largely rein
forced and would have swept us from the field
but in the nick Of time, in response to our re
peated calls for assistance, it came.